The availability of nucleotide sequences of the coat protein gene of Potato leafroll virus (PLRV) permitted the construction of DNA primers that were utilized for cDNA synthesis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of a 487 bp. and approximately 500 bp DNA fragments were amplified from nucleic acid extracts of PLRV-infected tissue and strawberry mild yellow-edge (SMYE) diseased strawberry tissue, respectively. The amplified DNA fragments were further differentiated by hybridization analysis with a CDNA probe for the coat protein gene of PLRV and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. These results suggest that a luteovirus is associated with the SMYE disease.

An isolate of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), PaFMl-CMV causing malformation on the fruit of paprika (Capsicum annuum var, grossum) was characterized based on biological reactions, serological relationships, and partial nucleotide sequence analyses. PaFMl-CMV was distinguishable from other isolates of CMYI Mf-(subgroup I) and LS-CMV (subgroup II), in terms of its reactions to some host plants. Polyclonal antibody against PaFMl-CMV showed homologous antigenic relationship with LS-CMV, however, the antibody formed a spur between PaFMl- and Mf-CMV, In the comparison of molecular size of dsRNAs of PaFMl-CMV with Mf- and LS-CMV, PaFMl-CMV had a slightly smaller RNAl and larger RNA2, RNA3, and RNA4. When the CDNA product of PaFMl-CMV coat protein (CP) gene was digested with some restriction enzymes, the fragment pattern was identical with that of LS-CMV The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of PaFMl-CMV CP gene were 99.5% and 98.6% identical with LS-CMV respectively. The data indicate that PaFMl-CMV belongs to subgroup II of CMV, which is the first report in Korea.

For the molecular detection of Sweet potaio feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) from diseased sweet potato plants, reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed with the use of a set of virus-specific primers to amplify an 816 bp product. The viral coat protein gene was selected for the design of the primers. No PCR product was amplified when Turnip mosaic virus, Potato vims Y or Cucumber mosaic virus were used as template in RT-PCR with the SPFMV-specific primers. The lowest concentration of template viral RNA required for detection was 10 fg. The vim was rapidly detected from total nucleic acids of leaves and roots from the virus-infected sweet potato plants as well as from the purified viral RNA by the RT-PCR. Twenty-four sweet potato samples were selected and analyzed by RT-PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). RFLP analysis of the PCR products showed three restriction patterns, which resulted in some point mutations suggesting the existence of quasi-species for the vims in the infected sweet potato plants.

Two peptaibol antibiotics, peptavirins A and B, which exhibited strong inhibitory effect against Tobacco mosaic vials (TMV) infection, were isolated from steam-cooked rice culture of Apiocrea sp.14T. The peptavirins were identified as new derivatives of chrysospermins, which are 19-mer and have been reported to be produced in a fungal isolate. The physicochemical properties of the peptavirins were mostly identical with chrysospermins A through D except for the UV absorption spectrum. The peptavirins inhibited the growths of the Grampositive bacteria tested, including the plant pathogenic bacterium, Corynebacterium lilium, and the fungus, Aspergillus niger. Peptavirin A was somewhat cytotoxic to cancer cell lines, especially K562 (leukemia) and UACC 62 (melanoma), whereas peptavirin B only exhibited slight cytotoxicity.

A total of 672 Cryphonectria parasitica was isolated from 2,536 blight lesions on chestnut twigs, which were collected from major chestnut plantations all over Korea. Isolation rates of each province ranged from 13.5% in Jeonbuk-ds to 37.4% in Gyeongnam-do, with an average rate of 25.6%. The isolates were classified into six groups according to color and shape of colony on PDA: smooth margin (S), irregular margin (I), yellow to brown (Y), white (W), and white with yellow center (C). Among these groups, IY was the most abundant with an isolation rate of 65%. On the other hand, SW, SC, IW, and SY were quite rare, with isolation rates ranging from 1.5% to 5.8%. When the 672 isolates were inoculated on the chestnut twigs,380 isolates (56.5%) caused lesions larger than the standard virulent isolate EPISS-2, while 158 isolates (23.4%) caused smaller lesions than the standard hypovirulent isolate UEP-1. However, 87.4% of the isolates belonged to the virulent group and only 12.6% belonged to the hypovirulent group based on Bavendamm test. In the provinces of Jeonnam-do, Jeonbuk-do, and Gyeongnamdo, which have high density of chestnut trees, the rates of hypovirulent-like isolates were over 20%.

The hyphal growth and biocontrol efficacy of Trichodemo harzianum in soil may depend on its interactions with biotic components of the soil environment. The effect of soil microbial biomass on growth and biocontrol efficacy of T. hanianum isolate ThzIDl-M3 (green fluorescent protein transformant) was investigated using artificially prepared different levels of soil microbial biomass (153,328, or 517ug biomass carbon per g of dry soil; BC). The hyphal growth of T. harzanum was significantly inhibited in the soil with 328 or 517 g BC compared with 153 ug BC. When ThzIDl-M3 was added to the soils as an alginate pellet formulation, the recoverable population of ThzIDl-M3 varied, but the highest population occurred in 517ug BC. Addition of alginate pellets of ThzIDl-M3 to the soils (10 per 50 g) resulted in increased indigenous microbial populations (total fungi, bacterial fluorescent Pseudomonas app., and actinomycetes). Furthermore, colonizing ability of ThzIDl-M3 on sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum was significantly reduced in the soil with high revel of BC. These results suggest that increased soil microbial biomass contributes to increased interactions between introduced T. harzianum and soil microorganisms, consequently reducing the biocontrol efficacy of 1T. harzianum.

Resistance of perilla varieties to Botrytis cinerea LVF12 was evaluated, while antagonistic bacteria were selected and tested for their efficacy towards biological control of gray mold rot caused by B. cinerea. Among 11 perilla varieties tested for disease resistance, Milyang variety showed some degree of resistance, while the rest of varieties showed no resistance. Among 250 bacterial isolates collected from perilla loaves and rhizosphere of perilla plants, six isolates showed high levels of inhibitory effect on mycelial growth and conidial germination of B. cinerea in in vitro test. Using the pot test in growth chambers these isolates showed high levels of disease suppression, with Nl isolate showing 95.3% of control value and N4 isolate showing 90.8% of control value. Further test was performed to evaluate the two isolates ability for disease prevention and/or disease therapy, and results showed almost 100% of control vague. Isolates Nl and N4 were identified as Bacillus licheniformis and 5. megatepium, respectively, according to Bergey`s manual, API 20E and 50CHB test kit, and Transmission electron microscope.

Direct effects of atmospheric ozone on conidia of the rice blast pathogen, Magnaporthe grisea, were investigated to evaluate ozone-induced effects on infection potential of the rice blast fungus. Acute ozone exposure (200 nl , 8 h 3 days) during sporulation significantly affected conidial morphology, appressorium formation, and disease development on rice loaves. Ozone caused reduction in conidial size and change in conidial shape. Relative cytoplasmic volume of lipids and vacuoles were increased in ozone-exposed conidia. Inhibition of appressorium formation and simultaneous increase in endogenous levee of polyamines were found in ozone-exposed conidia. The inverse relationship between appressorium formation and level of polyamines implies that ozone-mediated increase in intracellular level of polyamines may inhibit appressorium formation in rice blast fungus. Furthermore, rice plants inoculated with ozone-fumigated conidia exhibited less severe disease development than those with unfumigated conidia. This result suggests that the anti-conidial consequence of acute ozone will eventually weaken the rice blasts potential for multiple infection cycle. This further suggests that consequently, rice blast can be transformed from an explosive disease to one that has limited epidemiological potential in the field.

To develop Epicoccosorus nematosporus as a mycoherbicide of Eleocharis kuroguwai, the optimum temperature and humidity for sporulation of the pathogen were studied. Conidial production was most abundant at with RH 60%, which yielded 661 mg in 9 cm Petri dish. Light intensity of 3,000 up to 7,500 lux was effective in stimulating conidial production of E. nematosporus on oatmeal agar, Light intensity affected sporulation more significantly than temperature. In the pot test, at least 12 h of dew period at and was required to achieve satisfactory conidial germination and appressorial formation. Few were killed at 8 h of dew period regardless of temperature. Sixteen hours of a single dew treatment immediately after inoculation killed more plants than did two or three repetitive dew treatments of 8-12 h.

Soaked black rot symptom was observed on the stem of Angelica acutiloba from July to August 2000 at Kumsan, Chungnam in Korea. This disease usually occurred under humid and high temperature conditions. The lesions on the stem appeared as soft rot with brown elliptical spots, which developed into large black spots at a later stage. When the bacterial isolates from the diseased plants were inoculated onto healthy plants by artificial needle prick method, symptoms similar to that observed in the fields developed. According to the cultural characteristics and pathogenicity of the isolates on the host plant the causal bacterium was identified as Xanthomonas campestris. This study proposed that the disease be named "bacterial black stem rot of A. acutiloba"loba"quot;